Swerve Strickland’s championship challenge at Forbidden Door tonight could be immediately followed by a significant layoff, as AEW is reportedly preparing for the possibility that he will undergo surgery. According to a report from Fightful Select, the procedure would sideline the challenger for a number of months. The company is said to be bracing for this outcome following his title match against Kazuchika Okada.
The potential surgery addresses a long-standing issue for Strickland, who is currently working with a torn meniscus. This is not a recent injury; he has been dealing with the condition since 2019, when it was first sustained while he was training at the WWE Performance Center. While he returned to action after a four-week rest period at the time, the knee never fully healed.
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AEW has been actively managing Strickland’s condition and has utilized the medical staff of the Jacksonville Jaguars to assist with his recovery in an attempt to avoid surgery. There were reportedly previous plans for Strickland to take time off after All In: Texas in July, but that course of action was altered. The legitimate injury has also been incorporated into his recent on-screen storyline, adding a layer of realism to his current feud.
Despite the chronic injury, Strickland is still set to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Unified Championship tonight in London at the O2 Arena. The situation creates a high-stakes scenario for the company’s main event picture. An outcome where Strickland wins the title and subsequently requires the operation could force him to vacate the championship, leading to a significant shift in AEW’s booking plans for the remainder of the year.
Strickland has not competed in nearly a month, with his last match taking place on the July 23 episode of Dynamite against Hechicero.
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